On July 25,1978,Louise Joy Brown,the world's first successful test-tube baby was born.Today,nearly 1% of all births in the U.S.start in the laboratory.Babies conceived through IVF are twice as likely to be born prematurely,but do not show any increase in major birth malformations,cancer,or abnormal psychological development.What is the best explanation for the lack of birth defects in IVF babies?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

IVF involves fertilizing an egg outside of the body in the laboratory, during the preembryonic period. The embryo is then implanted into the mother's uterus during the embryonic period, after which it continues to develop into a fetus. Since major birth defects often occur during the embryonic period, it is likely that implanting the embryo during this stage rather than later in fetal development contributes to the lack of birth defects in IVF babies.

On July 25,1978,Louise Joy Brown,the World's First Successful Test-Tube Baby